Can-opener.



No. 727,905. I PATBNTBD MAY 12, 1903.. N. CLEVELAND, OANOPIBNER.

APPLIUATION FILED PEG. 31, 1902 1T0 MODEL.

THE NDRBIS PEYERS cu, PHOYOJLITMQ, wAsuwcmu n c UNITED STATES- Patented May 12 1903.

NEWOOMB CLEVELAND, OF NEW YORK, 'N. Y.

CAN-OPENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 727,905, dated May 12, 1903. Application filed December 31,1902 Sprinl No. 137.361. (No model.)

with a very tight fit on the body portion, and

often the contents of the receptacle is of such a nature as to act somewhat as a glue between the body and lid or cover. In such cases a direct, upward push on the lid or its rim has generally been found quite inadequate to open the receptacle.

By my invention I provide a positively-operatinglever-opener adapted to so cooperate with the box that the latter will act as the fulcrum-bearing and at the same time hold the lever in operative position until the box is op'enedthat is, the mere closure of the box secures the lever thereto.

In carrying out my invention I make the fulcrum and resistance points of my leveropener bear one upon the body portion and one upon the cover of the receptacle, and,

preferably the leveiiis partly inclosed in the receptacle and partly projects therefrom, the outside part or handle being in a position for ready manipulation when it is desired to open the receptacle. The power applied to the handle of my improved device for opening the can is greatly multiplied atthe resistance-point, as the device acts upon the principles of the lever and inclined plane or wedging action, as will be apparent.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown various forms of devices for putting my invention into practice; but I do not limit myself to any specific'form or device beyond what is called for in the claimshereto appended.

Figure l is a side view of a box or can pro-.

vided with a lever-opener made according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective. view of this opener drawn to a larger scale. Fig.

3 is a sectional elevation of a part of Fig. 1,

the section being taken on line 3 3. Fig. 4 is a side View of the box, representing the cover partially raised by the opener. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are outside 'views of boxes provided withvarious modifications of myleveropener, as hereinafter fully explained. v

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, the box, ean, or other receptacle, of metal, cardboard, or any other desirable material, consists of a bodyct and a cover I). My lever-opener O in the construction here shown is formed with a handle c, a portion 0 adapted to pass between the body a and cover I), and a portion 0 turned back over the rim of the body a, the part of the device joining the portion 0 and the handle being turned out under the rim of the cover I) at 0 It will be evident that when the box is closed, with the portion a of the lever inclosed between the body a and cover I), the lever-opener will be firmly held in place with the handle 0 outside the box. Preferably I form an ofiset in the receptacle, as shown, for instance, at b in the cover b, inwhich offset the portion 0 lies. When it is desired to open the box, the handle 0' is simply pushed up or down. If the body a of the box is held in the hand, it may be asso med that the fulcrum of the lever bears on the rim of the body. Thus if the handle 0 be pushed upward the lever will turn on the edge 00, Figs. 2 and 4, and the portion 0 under the rim of thecover b will raise the cover, Fig. 4, as it turns'on the are having 00 as a center. The power applied to the handle is increased at the resistance-point y, bearing against the rim of the cover 12, according to the length of the handle, and this power at the resistance-point is also augmented by reason of the motion given itthat is, the point y of the lever does not exert its power in a line directly opposed to the resistance, but inclined thereto. Lever-opener O is repre-- sented as made of flat metal, while the levers shownin Figs. 5,6, and 7are shown as made of a strong wire or red. Fig. 5 represents a lever-openerconsisting of a handle a, a portion 0 passing between the body a and cover b, this portion extending to the top of the inside of the cover, and a portion 0 turned downward to the bottom of the box. This portion 0 is longer than the height of the inside of the receptacle, so

that when the receptacle is closed the portion 0 is in an oblique position, as shown. \Vhen the handle 0 is raised, the lever will tilt on one or the other of the points ac or y, and as the portion 0 assumes a position more nearly vertical with the height of the receptacle it will force the cover I) from the body a.

Fig. 6 represents a lever-opener consisting of a handle 0 a portion 0 to be inclosed between the body a and the cover I), and a portion 0 extending from the rim of the body a to the top of the inside of the cover I). The parts 0 and e are connected by a bend at 00 resting on the rim of the body a. The portion 0 is made longer than the distance between the rim of body a and the top of the cover, so that when the receptacle is closed the portion 0 is in an oblique position. By turning the handle a downward the lever will tilt on the rim of the body a at 00 and as the portion e is thus moved toward a vertical position the resistance-point y will force the cover b from the body a. It will be evident that the power applied to the handle 0 will be augmented at on the same principles as described in reference to lever C.

Fig. 7 represents a lever somewhat similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 4; but in this case the lever is made of wire instead of flat ma-.

by having a portion adapted to be clamped between the body and cover, and I do not limit myself to any special manner of doing this nor to any particular relative position of the parts other than that the fulcrum and resistance points of the lever bear against two parts of a receptacle and the lever is held in operative position by the simple closing of those two parts.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with a receptacle and a cover fitting thereon, of a lever-opener comprising a portion lying within the receptacle, a portion lying between the receptacle and its cover, and ahandle portion extending beyond the other portions substantially parallel with the surface of the receptacle.

2. The combination with a receptacle and a cover fitting thereon, of a lever-opener comprising a portion lying between the receptacle and its cover, a portion turned over the rim of the receptacle, another portion turned out under the rim of the cover, and a handle portion extending beyond the other portions substantially parallel with the surface of the receptacle in position for operation to open the receptacle.

3. The combination ofareceptacle comprising a body and a cover, with a lever-opener partly inclosed and held between said body and cover when the receptacle is closed, said receptacle being provided with an offset in which the part of the lever between the body and cover of the receptacle may lie, to permit of a tight closure of the receptacle.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

NEWCOMB CLEVELAND.

Witnesses:

EDITH J. GRIsWoLD, MABELLE F. LAKE. 

